The Choice
by AsraiaySophira
Summary: Born into a life ruled by the Tyrant King Leopold, Emma Swan must make a choice. To continue on the path that was made for her, or to follow her heart with the Sorceress Regina. I'm terrible with descriptions. SWAN QUEEN. First multi chapter Swan Queen fic.
1. Epilogue

Epilogue:

She could smell the earth drawing near, her eyes searched for the light at the end of the dark, damp tunnel. She felt the sides of the rock wall on her right hand following the path that lay before her. Short of breath, she struggled to get out. She had slight stings all over her body and blood dripped down her limbs.

"What is that noise?" She thought to herself, as she got closer to the end.

The sounds that echoed through the walls rung in her ears like a stampede of cattle. They grew louder, as she limped her way out. Her heart beat with a rush of excitement and she quickened her pace to the blinding light. Her eyes stung from the sun's rays that finally hit her fair skin, warming her body. Her golden curls shined despite the blood that dripped down her tips. She was surrounded by flesh and echoing voices, a familiar face walked closer to her. It was a man, tall, a bit round in the middle, with short gray hair and beard. But his eyes were dark and filled with distain that couldn't be hidden by his façade.

"Emma." He called to her with his signature fake smile. "You did well. Not as well as you would if you were a grandson, but you will have to do."

His voice sent chills down the blonde's spine. She looked away from his gaze, and noticed her hands were stained with blood. Her dirty rags, covered in rips that were caused by a blade of some sort. She bowed her head to her grandfather, King Leopold and he lifted up her right arm.

"Emma Swan! Our new champion!" He yelled to his people. Their stench filled the air and caused her stomach to feel sick. Leopold squeezed tighter on a wound upon her arm. She couldn't make a reaction to the pain or else the King would put her in another training camp for a week, like the last time she showed any form of weakness. He grinned, knowing exactly what he did. He threw her arm down.

"Get cleaned up, you smell of filth." He said as he turned his back on her and left. Regardless of the fact that he walked away, Emma bowed and two servants escorted her to the castle.

She walked through the halls of that prison. The coldness she felts within those stonewalls was a familiarity of what she believed her life would forever be like. Cold, dark and contained. She was in a never-ending abyss of hatred and savagery. Or so she believed. The servants guided her to a large wooden door; the heat radiated from it and the feeling was grand. As the door opened, the smell of roses filled her nose, it was a calming sent. The peasants bowed to Emma, none dared to make eye contact. They avoided her gaze like the plague, only because they truly believed she would bring them harm. That she would take their life away because of their curiosity. She didn't blame them really. For whom could ever want to risk their life while near a woman who was trained to kill.

Emma removed the bloodstained rags, and realized how damaged her skin truly was.

"Weak… I am weak." She told herself over and over in her head. The marks on her skin proved as such. The scars that she held as a reminder of her failed attempts at protecting herself.

"Leave me." She spoke coldly. The slaves didn't hesitate to leave the room. It was a big room; there was a fireplace to the far left and a bathtub in front of her. There was steam that rose into the air, she stepped into the water and was instantly affected by the scorching heat. She sat down trying to wash away the memories of the deaths she caused. The death of the souls that didn't understand what it was like to be her. A person who only had one purpose; to kill. She never knew the love of a father, or the love of a mother. For who could ever love, such a beast.


	2. The Stranger Across the Water

I do not have a beta, so the mistakes are all mine. Feel free to kick my virtual shins if you see some spelling/grammar errors.

Chapter 1

Two months later…

Emma is stationed at one of Leopold's army camps, sent there with a task. She must invade the small villages that refuse to kneel to his will and enslave all of the women. If anyone resisted the take over, the penalty would be death. The reason behind this was to insure that fear was struck into the hearts of the King's enemies, so that he could conquer the other kingdoms.

She could still feel the pain of the lashings her gave her every time she disobeyed him. The lessons she had to learn to ensure that her grandfather's rule was to be eternal. The lives she took at his orders, the first person to ever become cold by her hands.

"In this world there are those who were made to rule and those who are meant to be ruled. Fear is the only thing that keeps us in power Emma. Do what you were trained to do." Leopold's voice echoed through her mind.

The punches to the face, the broken bones, and the blood that dripped down her body ghosted her skin. She never wanted to feel so useless again. Her first kill was for her own survival. As will the rest of them be. Though she couldn't help but wonder.

"But what if what I was trained to do, was not what I was meant to do?" She whispered to herself in her tent.

She never understood the reasoning behind her grandfather's actions. Why must the world suffer only for one man to gain power? Such thoughts are dangerous; she looked around as if expecting him to jump at her and put her in those damned chains. To break her more than she has already been broken. She shook her head to rid herself of such nonsense.

Emma walked over to the circular table where a map resided. It contained the locations of various villages and cities. Color coded by population and strength status. She began to make preparations for the invasion of a small village called Storybrooke, ranked highest amongst the threats to the kingdom. After all, this village was rumored to be lead by a powerful sorceress. Blocked by a shield so great, that anyone whom dared to enter it with bad intentions got incinerated.

Emma put her leather armor on piece by piece, connecting all buckles together while dreading every moment because she knew what was to come. All the pain and suffering she was about to cause.

"Your highness." A man walked into her tent and knelt down, he bowed his head in respect.

"What?" She spoke coldly to him.

"Your horse is ready your highness."

"You may leave." The man stood up but kept his head bowed as he backed out of the tent. The blonde grabbed her sword and took her leave of the camp, and led her army to what she believed to be, a massacre.

Two days passed before the village was in her sight. It would be another two hours before she reached it. She needed to prepare herself for what was to pass. So she took a different direction than her army. Even then she could fee the heat of the fires that would undoubtedly be made, the copper taste and battle. She rode her horse to a nearby river. It was the only peace that nature could offer. It was the calm before the storm. She knelt to the ground and felt the small stones press into her knees. She took a good look at herself in the reflection of the running water. It was wild and shifting. The scars held on her face were completely visible, especially a distinctive scar on her left eyebrow. She looked deeper into the river and could see the lost souls of the lives she took in that dungeon during the trial.

Ever since she was sevens years old, she had to conquer and kill. She knew of nothing else, except that it deepened a hole in her heart. A darkness that took a hold of her, anger that surged through her veins.

"I'm nothing but a monster!" She yelled, and slammed her fists into her reflection in the water.

She felt a strong presence near her, the eyes of someone that called to her. She stood up and across the river was a woman. The woman had long dark hair, she seemed small yet beautiful and regal. She was wearing a white dress that gave off pure kindness. Green eyes met brown pools and Emma's breath hitched, her heart stopped for a moment. She has never seen anything so breathtaking. A familiarity in those eyes, told a story she recognized. The woman smirked, and made Emma's face heat. She smiled at the woman, a motion so unknown to her that she had to touch her own face.

"Hello." A raspy voice echoed in her mind.

The blonde tilted her head in confusion. The woman chuckled; it was the sound of a wonderful melody that filled Emma's ears. A sound she wanted to hear again.

"Don't worry, you're not going crazy." The voice echoed through her head once more.

"Who-" The princess stopped at the sound of a battle commencing. Emma looked into the direction of the noise and then back to where the woman stood. Yet, she was gone. Emma took off into the direction of the noises only to find that her army was under attack by at least a dozen ogres. Men were being hit in the air, five at a time with a single swing. Roars that were deafening to the ears rang throughout the land. The horses ran away, trying to kick their way to survival. The sounds of broken bones were made at every landed hit.

Emma drew her sword and charged to the closest ogre, she got behind the beast and jumped on. The ogre swayed back and forth trying to get her off its body. But it was no use, she held on tight and climbed to the head. She reached her goal and sliced the creature's throat. The ogre fell and Emma jumped, landing on her feet to charge to the next one.

"Archers! Aim for the head!" She yelled into the field of battle. The surviving archers complied; they shot as many arrows they could towards the ogres. A few managing to get the ogres through the eyes into the brain, but the remaining beasts continued their charge. They took out the remaining archers but the warriors still battled on. As Emma tried to yell another command, an ogre swung at her with a giant log. She dodged the swing and then the next. She grabbed a dead soldier's sword next to her, and then charged the beast with two swords. Before the ogre could hit her with its swing she slid on the ground under the creature and sliced its legs. The beast fell to the ground with a roar and Emma ran up its back and jumped in the air, stabbing the swords through the ogre's head.

What she didn't expect was another ogre charging from behind, she was swiped into the air then flung into the ground. Pain soared everywhere in her limbs. She struggled to get up, on the verge of being unconscious; she watched the ogre charge at her. She didn't want this to be the end. She couldn't be weak. As the ogre was about to strike her she fell back, feeling a surge of energy flowing through her. She held up her right hand as if to block the creature's attack. A blinding light burst all around her body in waves. She didn't feel the hit of the ogre's charge. At that moment, she thought she had died. But as the light waned, the last thing she saw was a frozen statue of an ogre and a pair of brown irises staring deeply into her soul as she fell into black.


End file.
